The Gas Company, a Sempra Utilities company, recently sponsored a special community outreach project with churches and community based organizations to inform them of cost-savings programs and services available to low-income families.

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“The Gas Company has several assistance programs that can help families, seniors, and the recently unemployed through these difficult financial times. To that end we are providing an opportunity for church and community based organizations to become a registered agent qualified to sign-up low-income households for these cost savings energy assistance programs,” stated Hal Snyder, Vice President, Customer Programs, Sempra Utilities.

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Programs highlighted are the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) Program which provides a 20% discount on monthly gas bills for qualified customers. Another program is the Direct Assistance Program (DAP) which offers no-cost energy-saving home improvements for income-qualified homeowners and renters. Families, seniors, and the unemployed qualify for these programs if they receive benefits from any of the following programs: WIC, the Healthy Families Program, Medi-Cal/Medicaid, food stamps, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), SSI, Free Lunch program, the Head Start Tribal Program, or the Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance.

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Timothy Alan Simon, Commissioner with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), stated, “I commend Sempra Utilities for conducting these special meetings to share the importance of these programs for families in need. These assistance programs are underutilized and we at the CPUC feel that it is vital that our citizens are educated on the services that are available to them and that can truly help them through these tough economic times.”

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A church and/or non-profit community based organization as an agent of The Gas Company can earn up to $15 for each qualified household the organization registers for the CARE Program. For more information about the Agent program of The Gas Company please call 213 244-4519